The E. coli outbreak that is possibly linked to Lake Wildwood Beach in California has now sickened nine young children, according to the Nevada County Public Health Department (NCPHD. The outbreak started on July 27, 2017.
As of August 2, 2017, nine children are sick. Six of those children have been hospitalized; two of those patients have returned home. Three of the hospitalized children have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure. One adult closely associated with one of the sick children has also been diagnosed with an E. coli infection.
Young children are most likely to develop HUS after an E. coli infection. Shiga toxins released by the bacteria can travel through the bloodstream, killing red blood cells which then travel to the kidneys and … [Read more...]

Five young children have been sickened after allegedly swimming at Lake Wildwood Main Beach, according to the Nevada County Public Health Department in California. Tests for three of the children are preliminarily positive for E. coli infections. Three of the children have been hospitalized. News reports state that others, including adults, may be sick as well.
The Lake Wildwood Main Beach area was closed temporarily as a precaution late last week. Public health officials collected water samples near the shoreline and the swim area. The Main Beach and swimming area are closed now, because test results received on July 29, 2017 showed elevated fecal coliform, which are bacteria that cause serious illness. The Health Department is working with the Nevada County Environmental Health … [Read more...]

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has released an investigation about the 2015 Campylobacter outbreak associated with Claravale Farm brand raw milk. In March 2015, the CDPH Infectious Diseases Brand identified three patients who live in Santa Cruz County with Campylobacter infections.
All three patients reported consuming Claravale brand raw milk before they got sick. Eventually, seven total case patients were identified. One lived in Marin County, one in Orange County, and five in Santa Cruz county. Two of those patients were hospitalized.
Illness onset dates ranged from February 16 to March 25, 2017. Campylobacter isolates were collected from three of the patients and analyzed by pulsed field-gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Those isolates all had the same primary … [Read more...]

An increase in Shigella infections in Ventura County, California has led to the voluntary, temporary closure of the Souplantation restaurant in Camarillo. Officials were notified on Thursday, June 22, 2017 about an unusual number of cases in the county.
Ventura County Public Health officials said that eight people have been diagnosed with the illness. Seven of those patients ate at the Souplantation restaurant before they got sick. The eighth patient was a "household contact" of one of the seven sickened.
Shigella is a highly contagious bacteria that causes about half a million illnesses in the United States every year. Symptoms include diarrhea that can be bloody, fever, and abdominal pain and cramps. Most people recover without a doctor's care in about a week, but some do … [Read more...]

Officials in California say that botulism toxin in nacho cheese sauce sold at Valley Oak Food and Fuel in Walnut Grove, California has killed one person and sickened nine others. All ten patients in this outbreak have been hospitalized in serious condition.
The man who died has been identified by news sources as 37-year-old Martin Galindo-Larios Jr., a father of two. A GoFundMe page has been set up on behalf of his family.
The California Department of Public Health has confirmed that the nacho cheese sauce sold at the gas station has tested positive for the botulinum toxin. And it is the same type of toxin identified in the 10 patients sickened in this outbreak.
The press release from CDPH states that the department has "received reports of 10 cases of botulism linked to this … [Read more...]

The botulism outbreak at Valley Oak Food and Fuel in Walnut Grove, California may have caused a death. At least one lawsuit has been filed, and all of the patients in this outbreak have been hospitalized. Inspection reports stated that cheese sauce was impounded by a California Department of Public Health Officer.
According to UPI, Martin Galindo, a 37-year-old father from San Francisco, died on May 18, 2017 from botulism poisoning. A GoFundMe page has been set up on his behalf. KGO-TV said he contracted the illness from nacho cheese sauce bought at Valley Oak Food and Fuel. The Sacramento Health and Human Services Department has not confirmed that botulism caused the man's death or that Mr. Galindo ate food from Valley Oak Food and Fuel.
Because the gas station is located near a … [Read more...]

The number of people sickened in the Valley Oak Food and Fuel botulism outbreak in Walnut Grove, California continues to grow. According to the Sacramento County of Health and Human Services, there are now 10 patients involved in the outbreak of botulism linked to nacho cheese sauce prepared and sold at the gas station. The updated case count includes 5 confirmed cases, 3 probable, and 2 suspected.
The first botulism lawsuit was filed against Valley Oak Food and Fuel on Tuesday, May 16, 2017.
This outbreak is unusual and tragic for several reasons. Botulism food poisoning is rare, with fewer than 200 cases every year in the United States. With 10 people potentially sickened, this is a relatively large outbreak of botulism poisoning for the U.S. Although there is an antitoxin that … [Read more...]

At least seven people, in two apparently unrelated outbreaks, are sick with botulism food poisoning in California. Five or six people are hospitalized in serious condition in Walnut Grove, California, in connection with prepared food they purchased from the Valley Oak Food and Fuel gas station. And two others are sick after drinking herbal tea produced by U.S. Deer Antlers Experts and Imports.
What is botulism? And why is botulism food poisoning so serious? Food Poisoning Bulletin interviewed attorney Fred Pritzker about this toxin and its effects.
Fred said, "Botulism is one of the most deadly nerve toxins known to man. This compound is produced by the Clostridium botulinum bacteria and can cause paralysis and death when consumed.
"These two outbreaks are unusual because one … [Read more...]

The botulism outbreak at the Valley Oak Food and Fuel gas station in Walnut Grove, California appears to have been caused by prepared food, "particularly nacho cheese sauce," according to the Sacramento County Department of Health and Human Services. Five people have been hospitalized with foodborne botulism after eating food purchased from that facility. And the press releases states there is a sixth patient who may also have botulism food poisoning.
This conclusion is based on "preliminary data," according to the press release. The sale of prepared food at that gas station was ended by the Sacramento County Department of Environmental Management on May 5, 2017.
Public health officials are asking that anyone who ate prepared food, especially nacho cheese sauce, from Valley Oak … [Read more...]

Last week, a recall was issued for herbal tea produced by U.S. Deer Antlers Exports and Imports because of the risk of botulism food poisoning. The California Department of Public Health has issued a health warning about those products and is investigating two possible cases of botulism in Orange County residents. Both of those patients drank U.S. Deer Antlers Exports and Imports, Inc. herbal tea products in March 2017. There is no word on the condition of the patients, or if they have been hospitalized.
U.S. Deer Antlers Exports and Imports of Los Angeles is voluntarily recalling all of their herbal tea products in plastic pouches. The 6" x 4" plastic tea pouches are labeled in Korean and do not include any lot codes or best by dates. These teas were sold to acupuncturists and … [Read more...]